News

Turkish Planes Will Join Air Battle Against ISIS

—Jennifer Hlad8/26/2015

AFA Caption

An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off from Incirlik AB, Turkey,
in support of Operation Inherent Resolve on Aug. 12, 2015. Air Force photo by SrA. Krystal Ardrey.

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Turkish aircraft will soon be flying alongside
coalition jets in the fight against ISIS, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
said Aug. 25. The US and Turkey have finalized the necessary technical details
to integrate Turkey into the coalition air tasking order, Cook said. That’s a
“significant step forward, one we’ve been waiting for,” he added. It may take a
few days before the Turkish air strikes on ISIS begin, he said, but the US
believes that “Turkey is committed to fully participating as soon as possible.”
Turkey has already allowed the deployment of US F-16s to Incirlik Air Base,
which has made the fighters more effective than if they had to fly from another
location, the Chief of Staff for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent
Resolve said
Aug. 21. Cook said talks continue with Turkey on other
ways to fight ISIS, and the expansion of cooperation between the US and Turkey
“remains a work in progress.” The announcement comes less than a week after Defense
Secretary Ash Carter said in a Pentagon press
briefing that Turkey must do more in the fight against ISIS.